Council House Britain - Channel 4

[MrsR]

Just watched the first episode. I think it's a great advert for Southwark Council staff who often get a poor rap. The programme focused on some great local characters - staff and residents. It showed the pressures they are under and the difficult decisions staff have to make. I thought it was very well made and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Froglander]

Agree. Was very informative.

[siousxiesue]

I watched the first 2, but for some reason ep3 doesn't want to play for me! And that's the one I really want to see.

Aylesbury Estate, used to work there.

Can someone check if it's just me?

[betternowthanthen]

Yes Ep 3 is not working for some reason....

[siousxiesue]

betternowthanthen Wrote:

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> Yes Ep 3 is not working for some reason....

I reported it, it's fine now

[Clutterqueen]

I watched the first two episodes and couldn't believe how contrived it was.

[Clutterqueen]

Why would a young person with three children turn down a three bedroom property just because they had to climb some stairs? Apparently they were currently in a bedsit? The council officer joked and laughed with them about not accepting the property but at least they mentioned it would soon be snapped up by the next family!

[IlonaM]

Clutterqueen Wrote:

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> Why would a young person with three children turn

> down a three bedroom property just because they

> had to climb some stairs? Apparently they were

> currently in a bedsit? The council officer joked

> and laughed with them about not accepting the

> property but at least they mentioned it would soon

> be snapped up by the next family!

I think the point was that she would have to carry a pushchair up three flights of stairs to the third floor. She might have back problems etc. that we don't know about. Some flats are more suited to the able-bodied and less encumbered.

[Pugwash]

Some years ago, one of my clients had to move from his private rented tied house (the house went with the job)and was eligible for council housing. He and his wife were asked along to view a property on the Kingswood Estate - when the Housing Officer saw the couple his/her face fell as nobody had checked the application form properly and had allocated a flat on the 3rd floor, without a lift to an amputee who was permanently in a wheelchair!

They were rehoused some time later in sheltered housing - they reluctantly accepted this as no other suitable housing.

[Clutterqueen]

Another reason the young person turned down the flat was that she had been told it had two 'double bedrooms' and one 'single bedroom'. She complained it only had one 'double bedroom'!

[alice]

The show's a set-up. anyone got any recent comparative stats on social rent housing? Southwark is abysmal.